Family Support for At-Risk Second Graders to Improve Reading Fluency.

Parents and caregivers can play an important role in helping their at-risk children improve their reading skills. Parents generally want to be part of their children’s academic achievement, but may not always know the most appropriate or effective way to contribute. Teachers encourage at-risk students to read consistently at home and supportive parents often ensure that their children get the proper amount of reading completed nightly. Parents may even sit with their children and listen to them read, making helpful corrections whenever needed. They may even read to their children with great expression. Parents can, however, be more effective during this reading time to help their children improve their reading skills. The purpose of this study is to show that with teacher-scripted directions to parents or caregivers, read aloud practices at home will help at-risk second graders increase their reading fluency level. Previous research has shown that with specific and effective support and guidance from home, at-risk children made significant improvement in their reading skills.